Career Pathways
Let us help you ignite your career in financial services. Use this tool to map your future and find out how IFSE Institute can support your professional development goals.
The financial services industry offers an exciting array of job opportunities for both new entrants and career professionals. IFSE empowers its students by helping them build their financial knowledge and expertise to inspire confidence with employers and clients. Our practical training courses are key to attaining long-term career success.
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Starting your career
Advice Channel
Compliance
Starting your career
Advice Channel
Operations / back office
Compliance
Starting
your career
Advice
Channel
Operations /
back office
Compliance
Starting
your career
Client
Service
Representative
Client Service Representative
Description
- Responsible for answering incoming calls from financial advisors, dealers, and customers.
- Answer inquiries about products, accounts, and transaction information.
- Resolve issues and process client requests.
- Strive to maintain and exceed the firm's service standards.
- Provide ongoing continued support to build strong relationships with advisors and dealers.
Key skills or attributes:
- Personable and articulate
- Adaptive and agile
- Problem solver
- Detail-oriented
Salary range:
$40,000 - $55,000
Recommended courses:
Life
Insurance
Agent
Assistant
Life Insurance Agent Assistant
Description
- Develop leads, schedule appointments, and handle administrative tasks.
- Service client needs and identify new business opportunities.
- Generate new business sales through prospecting activities and establishing referral channels.
- Maintain up-to-date product and industry knowledge.
Key skills or attributes:
- Computer proficient
- Client-service focused
- Team-oriented
Salary range:
$35,000 - $50,000
Recommended courses:
Financial
Advisor
Assistant
Financial Advisor Assistant
Description
- Perform administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, preparing documentation, and marketing activities.
- Provide ongoing service and support to clients.
- Respond to client inquiries in a timely, responsive manner.
- Resolve issues affecting client transactions expeditiously and accurately.
- Identify opportunities to increase revenue within the existing client base.
- Maintain up-to-date product and industry knowledge.
Key skills or attributes:
- Excellent computer skills
- Articulate and personable
- Attentive to detail
Salary range:
$30,000 - $50,000
Recommended courses:
Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC)
Advice
channel
Financial
Advisor
Financial Advisor
Description
- Proactively establish, develop, and maintain strong client relationships through regular contact and by providing timely, value-added information, advice, and recommendations.
- Engage with new and existing clients to understand their long-term and short-term financial goals and objectives.
- Present customized financial recommendations, offer investment advice, and complete sales.
- Network regularly with existing clients and prospects/referrals to build and grow the practice.
Key skills or attributes:
- Knowledgeable and well-informed
- Excellent communicator
- Relationship builder
- Entrepreneurial
Salary range:
$50,000 - $100,000
remuneration from commission and fees can exceed this range
Recommended courses:
Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC)
Life
Insurance
Agent
Life Insurance Agent
Description
- Work with clients to address their risk management and insurance needs.
- Perform needs analysis and recommend suitable insurance products.
- Conduct business development activities to acquire new clients.
- Establish and develop strong client relationships.
- Maintain a sound level of product, procedures, systems and industry knowledge, across specific product lines.
- Process transactions and maintain accurate records.
Key skills or attributes:
- Business-minded
- Intelligent and articulate
- Client-focused
- Excellent communicator
Salary range:
$50,000 - $100,000
remuneration from commission and fees can exceed this range
Recommended courses:
Exempt
Market
Dealing
Representative
Exempt Market Dealing Representative
Description
- Engage with new and existing investors to help them determine the appropriateness of investing in exempt products.
- Present investment offerings, provide investment advice, and complete sales.
- Employ business development activities to attract new investors.
- Maintain a deep understanding and technical knowledge of offerings to provide the best advice for prospective investors.
Key skills or attributes:
- Knowledgeable and well-informed
- Excellent communicator
- Self-motivated and entrepreneurial
Salary range:
$50,000 - $100,000
remuneration from commission and fees can exceed this range
Recommended courses:
Exempt Market Proficiency Course (EMP)
Operations /
back office
Client
Service
Representative
Client Service Representative
Description
- Responsible for answering incoming calls from financial advisors, dealers, and customers.
- Answer inquiries about products, accounts, and transaction information.
- Resolve issues and process client requests.
- Strive to maintain and exceed the firm's service standards.
- Provide ongoing continued support to build strong relationships with advisors and dealers.
Key skills or attributes:
- Personable and articulate
- Adaptive and agile
- Problem solver
- Detail-oriented
Salary range:
$40,000 - $55,000
Recommended courses:
New
Account
Administrator
New Account Administrator
Description
- Process the opening of new accounts on the back-office/shareholder system.
- Process account documentation to ensure that all information has been submitted and is complete.
Key skills or attributes:
- Excellent computer skills
- Accurate and precise
- Organized
Salary range:
$40,000 - $50,000
Recommended courses:
Mutual
Fund
Administrator
Mutual Fund Administrator
Description
- Process and input transactions on the back-office/shareholder system.
- Process transaction documentation to ensure that the information is complete and accurate.
Key skills or attributes:
- Excellent computer skills
- Methodical and inquiring
- Meticulous
Salary range:
$34,000 - $50,000
Recommended courses:
Settlement
Administrator
Settlement Administrator
Description
- Monitor, facilitate, and ensure the successful settlements of trades.
- Communicate with branches, fund companies and/or internal departments to identify, investigate and resolve settlement problems.
- Submit transmissions for settlements.
Key skills or attributes:
- Computer proficient
- Multi-tasker
- Attentive to detail
Salary range:
$40,000 - $60,000
Recommended courses:
Reconciliation
Administrator
Reconciliation Administrator
Description
- Responsible for reconciling the client accounts and positions on the dealer's books and records against those held at the fund company.
- Responsible for resolving exceptions identified in the reconciliation process.
Key skills or attributes:
- Problem solver
- Methodical and systematic
- Precise and accurate
Salary range:
$35,000 - $50,000
Recommended courses:
Fund
Administration
Clerk /
Representative
Fund Administration Clerk / Representative
Description
- Process all fund-related transactions (e.g., set up new accounts, process purchases, transfers, switches, redemptions).
- Process adjustments, such as correcting errors on fund accounts including reversal and reprocessing of all transaction types.
- Communicate with internal parties (Client Administration, Client Services, Marketing and Accounting Departments) and external parties (Advisors) to resolve day-to-day issues and inquiries relating specifically to fund processing.
Key skills or attributes:
- Excellent computer skills
- Detail-oriented
- Organized
Salary range:
$25,000 - $50,000
Recommended courses:
Compliance
Chief
Compliance
Officer
Chief Compliance Officer
Description
- Reports to the Ultimate Designated Person (UDP).
- Responsible for establishing and overseeing the firm's compliance regime, policies, and procedures.
- Primary duties are to oversee the supervision of the firm to ensure compliance with legislation and regulations.
- Responsible for escalating and advising on activity that violates legislation and regulations to the UDP and reporting on the status of the firm's compliance to the Board of Directors.
Key skills or attributes:
- Strong leadership
- Knowledgeable and well-informed
- Articulate
- Excellent judgement
- Problem solver
Salary range:
$92,000 - $170,000
Recommended courses:
Canadian Compliance Course (CCC)
Ethics and Professional Conduct Course (EPC)
Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC)
Compliance
Officer
Compliance Officer
Description
- Responsible for conducting supervision reviews to ensure that business activity complies with regulatory requirements and the firm's policies and procedures.
- Responsible for identifying non-compliant conduct, breaches, and violations.
- Responsible for taking the appropriate steps, following up, and escalating matters in order to ensure corrective action is effected.
Key skills or attributes:
- Analytical
- Detail-oriented
- Organized
- Pro-active
- Problem solver
Salary range:
$52,000 - $95,000
Recommended courses:
Canadian Compliance Course (CCC)
Ethics and Professional Conduct Course (EPC)
Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC)
Regional
Compliance
Officer
Regional Compliance Officer
Description
- Responsible for conducting supervision reviews to ensure that business activity complies with regulatory requirements and the firm's policies and procedures.
- Responsible for identifying non-compliant conduct, breaches, and violations.
- Responsible for taking the appropriate steps, following up, and escalating matters in order to ensure corrective action is effected.
- Conduct branch audits within the coverage area.
- Provide training, guidance, and support to the branches on regulatory initiatives.
Key skills or attributes:
- Meticulous and rigorous
- Intelligent and articulate
- Astute and discerning
- Excellent communicator
Salary range:
$60,000 - $115,000
Recommended courses:
Canadian Compliance Course (CCC)
Ethics and Professional Conduct Course (EPC)
Branch Managers’ Examination Course (BM)
Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC)
Registrations
Officer
Registrations Officer
Description
- Responsible for the registration process and filings on the National Registration Database (NRD).
- Provide guidance to employees and branches on registration matters.
- Responsible for keeping abreast of regulatory changes and requirements that impact registration.
- Maintain communication with regulators concerning matters on registration.
Key skills or attributes:
- Computer proficient
- Precise and accurate
- Multi-tasker
- Focused on details
Salary range:
$40,000 - $60,000
Recommended courses:
Branch
Manager
Branch Manager
Description
- Responsible for approving new accounts and conducting supervision reviews to ensure that business activity complies with regulatory requirements and the firm's policies and procedures.
- Responsible for identifying non-compliant conduct, breaches, and violations and effecting corrective action.
- Responsible for ensuring that the branch provides excellent customer service.
- Provide training, guidance, and support to advisors and branch staff.
- Oversee the day-to-day operations of the branch.
Key skills or attributes:
- Pro-active
- Problem solver
- Strong leadership
- Excellent communicator
Salary range:
$70,000 - $100,000
Recommended courses:
Branch Managers’ Examination Course (BM)
Ethics and Professional Conduct Course (EPC)
Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC)
Assistant Branch Manager
Assistant Branch Manager
Description
- Acting as an alternate to the Branch Manager in the Branch Manager's absence.
- Responsible for approving new accounts and conducting supervision reviews to ensure that business activity complies with regulatory requirements and the firm's policies and procedures.
- Responsible for identifying non-compliant conduct, breaches, and violations and effecting corrective action.
- Oversee the day-to-day operations of the branch in the Branch Manager's absence.
Key skills or attributes:
- Excellent judgement
- Problem solver
- Customer service focused
Salary range:
$53,000 - $70,000
Recommended courses:
Branch Managers’ Examination Course (BM)
Ethics and Professional Conduct Course (EPC)
Canadian Investment Funds Course (CIFC)